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Knowledge and Reality: Classic and Contemporary Readings
Steven M. Cahn, City University of New York
Maureen Eckert, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Robert Buckley, Ph.D., New Jersey Institute of Technology

ISBN-10: 0130424013
ISBN-13: 9780130424013

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2004
Format: Paper; 464 pp
Published: 03/14/2003

Suggested retail price: $77.20
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For introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses in epistemology and metaphysics.

Collection of readings in epistemology and metaphysics that showcased both historical and contemporary debates. Issues covered include the problem of a priori knowledge, skepticism, foundationalism versus coherentism, universals, identity and change, causation, and the relationship between perception and the external world.

  • Metaphysics and Epistemology in one slim volume—Two interrelated subject areas usually treated separately by most texts.

    • Gives both students and instructors the convenience of using one text.

  • Historical classics and cutting-edge works—48 selections from over 30 philosophers past and present.

    • Allows students to gain perspective about how problems have changed over time. Gives instructors flexibility in their choice of syllabi.

  • In-depth study of issues—A priori knowledge, skepticism, foundationalism versus coherentism, universals, identity and change, causation, and the relationship between perception and the external world.

    • Showcases to students both time-honored positions regarding epistemology and metaphysics as well as new philosophical trends.



Preface.

I. KNOWLEDGE.

1. What Is Knowledge?

Meno (excerpt), Plato . Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?, Edmund Gettier.

2. Skepticism.

Outlines of Pyrrhonism (excerpts), Sextus Empiricus. A Treatise of Human Nature (excerpt), David Hume. In Defence of Common Sense: Coherence versus Foundations in the Theory of Knowledge, G.E. Moore. Elusive Knowledge (excerpts), David Lewis. A Defense of Skepticism, Peter Unger.

3. Foundationalism, Coherentism, Reliabilism, and Virtue Epistemology.

The Raft and the Pyramid, Ernest Sosa. A Version of Foundationalism, Roderick Chisholm. A Coherence Theory of Truth and Knowledge, Donald Davidson. What Is Justified Belief?, Alvin I. Goldman. Contra Reliabilism, Carl Ginet. Knowledge and Intellectual Virtue, Ernest Sosa.

4. The A Priori.

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (excerpts), John Locke. On What Is Independent of Sense and of Matter, Leibniz. Skeptical Solution of These Doubts, David Hume. Introduction to The Critique of Pure Reason, Immanuel Kant. Two Dogmas of Empiricism, W.V.O. Quine. Lecture I, Saul Kripke. A Priori Knowledge, Philip Kitcher. Analyticity Reconsidered, Paul Boghossian.

II. REALITY.

5. Identity, Change, and Causation.

Fragments, Heraclitus. Fragments, Parmenides. Paradoxes, Zeno. The Republic (excerpt), Plato. Categories, Aristotle. Physics, Aristotle. Metaphysics, Aristotle. Identity, Ostension and Hypostasis (excerpt), W.V.O. Quine. Of the Idea of a Necessary Connection, David Hume. The New Riddle of Induction, Nelson Goodman.

6. Universals and Particulars.

Parmenides (excerpts), Plato. Criticisms of the Theory of the Forms (excerpts), Aristotle. On the Universal, William of Ockham. Empiricism, Semantics and Ontology, Rudolf Carnap. Statements about Universals, Frank Jackson. “Ostrich Nominalism” or “Mirage Realism”?, Michael Devitt. Against “Ostrich Nominalism”: A Reply to Michael Devitt, D. M. Armstrong. The Metaphysic of Abstract Particulars, Keith Campbell.

7. Sensory Perception and the External World.

Meditations on First Philosophy, Rene Descartes. Of Power, John Locke. Dialogues I and II between Hylas and Philonius, George Berkeley. Idealism, Bertrand Russell. Sense and Sensibilia (excerpt), J.L. Austin. Brains in Vats, William Poundstone. How Are Hallucinations Possible?, Daniel Dennett. A Naturalistic Defense of Realism, Michael Devitt.


"...This is an excellent collection of readings... Knowledge and Reality provides a wide range of readings from several periods in the history of philosophy without short-changing contemporary perspectives on a wide variety of epistemological and metaphysical problems."—Darian C. De Bolt, University of Central Oklahoma




"I love how the book marries the philosophical past and present while preserving the best of both. This is how all anthologies should be put together."—Jamie Phillips, Clarion University


Knowledge and Reality Classic and Contemporary Readings is a handy collection of readings in epistemology and metaphysics that is unique in showcasing both historical and contemporary debates. Issues that receive in-depth treatment include the problem of a priori knowledge, skepticism, foundationalism versus coherentism, universals, identity and change, causation, and the relationship between perception and the external world. Covering both historical classics and cutting-edge works, this reader allows students to see how problems have evolved over time and groups some of the most fascinating writings in epistemology and metaphysics.

Special Features of Knowledge and Reality:
  • Metaphysics and epistemology in one volume—Two interrelated subject areas usually treated separately by most texts.
  • Historical classics and cutting-edge works—selections from over 30 philosophers, past and present.
  • In-depth study of issues—A priori knowledge, skepticism, foundationalism versus coherentism, universals, identity and change, causation, and the relationship between perception and the external world.

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